Ynteth Mymtath: The Aviran Religion
A note: Religions in Esk are viewed very differently than they are on earth. With the overt presence of the Winds and of Imtelor, the "pantheon" if you will is nigh universal. There is very little disagreement about cosmology, at least among the major mainstream religions. Most of the controversy is over philosophical questions, such as the meaning of life. The supremacy of Imtelor is universally agreed upon, but there are many teaching of the lesser winds which seem to contradict each other. Each species tends to view its creator wind as the most correct. Ynteth Mymtath The Mymtaths, colloquially know as Mymers, have the smallest following among the main religions. The faith was inspired by Tolna and therefore appeals to Avirans more than any other race. Avirans, however, are not prone to organization and so the majority of them are non-practitioners whereas in most other races religious practices and traditions are rooted in societal bonds. Ynteth Mymtath translates "To Pray to Grow." It is also known as the Way of Thorns. Beliefs The Mymtath faith views the world of as a crucible. They have the most developed view of suffering because they embrace it as the truest method of self-improvement. The faith is extremely unpopular because its adherents are advised to seek out trials and subject themselves to rigorous fasts and poverty. The radical practitioners have been known to self-mutilate. Although the faith is looked down upon, the followers of Mymtath only pursue such avenues because they are attempting to improve themselves. In order to survive among the condescension of the public, many Mymtaths practice secretly. Many who come to this path do so because they have experienced trauma previously. Victims of rape or abuse are welcomed and taught to cope with their scars. It is a common misconception that, because Mymers teach that trauma such as abuse are assault are blessings, they perceive such acts to be moral. There is division on the issue, but the majority of Mymtaths acknowledge that suffering can only rightfully be self-induced. Mymtaths intentionally sacrifice more than most to gain wisdom, but their teachings focus on contentment. A common proverb is, "True victory is holding the power to win, and deciding to not." Historical Influence Much of the anti-Mymtath sentiment comes from the negative associations most denizens of Esk have with Tolna, but this sentiment was solidified and spurred to violence by Krezn and his followers in what is known as "The Year of Evangelism." Krezn led the largest following of collected Mymtaths in recorded history, numbering in the hundreds. Simultaneously, the sect began secretly causing turmoil in cities across the human empire. Attacks also occurred in Vardok and Salmak cities, but were quickly squelched outside the empire. Their crimes included muggings, vandalism, theft, and torture, all in the name of improving the souls of the populace. At the onslaught there was mass confusion, and it took the authorities almost a week to discover that the sudden jump in the crime rate was in fact the work of good-intentioned zealots. After the Mytaths became open in their goal, the authorities had an easier job of tracking them. On the downside, the sect saw a massive influx into its ranks, more by the sort who have the incessant urge to break things than pious souls hoping to purify by fire. The new additions were often disorganized and while the beginning strikes of Krezn's followers were highly organized and precise, after he was jailed in the second month of the movement, chaos reigned. The peak of the riots occurred in the fifth month, when a fourth of the city of Amory was burned to the ground. After that point, volunteer militia provided the manpower to reestablish peace. While the movement was flung out of the hands of its creators, original followers of Krezn made statements that it matter not that the motivation of rioters was pure so long as they provided the pain necessary for the pure to harvest wisdom. Category:Religions